George a



(ModeL) G. A. OOLTON.

CLASP. N0. 314,866. Patented 'Mr..24, 1885.

UNTTEE STATEs PATENT EEicE.

GEORGE A. COLTON, or SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

CLASP.

:EzPllGIEICAIIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 31 L356, dated March2%, 18815.

Application tiled August 4, 1884. (Modet) To all 1071,0772 it mayconcern:

citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga'and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Clasps, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to paper-clips, showcard 'clasps,or spring-clipsfor holding various articlessuch as pencils, leaves of books,music-sheets, price'cards, and various articles of merchandise which arecapable of being suspended in show-cases and show-windows. and for otherusesand it has particular reference to such devices which comprisespringjaws and a suspension eye or ring, whereby suitable articles maybe seized by the jaws, and when so seized may be suspended forexhibition; and the invention in this instance consists in certainfeatures of construction hereinafter described, and specifically setforth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a clasp constructed inaccordance with my invention, and represented as open. Fig. 2 is asimilar view of the same device closed. and locked in that position.Figs. 3 and a are plans of a modification or" my invention, the formerfigure representing the clasp with an article between the jaws thereof,which are locked, and the latter representing the same unlocked, thejawsbeing closed. Fig. 5 illus trates one use of my clasp.

Like letters indicate, like parts in all the figures.

The main object of my invention is to form a clasp of the classdescribed, in which the resiliency of the material of which it is madeshall not be relied on entirely for securing a firm hold upon articlesheld by the same.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description ofits construction and use.

The clasp proper consists of a single piece of wire, which is bent at adesired point between its ends to form a coiled spring, A, and at eitherside of said spring branches A A", the latter one of which is curved ona circle the center of which is at the center of an eye,

A, formed at the end of the branch A". Beyond the eye A the wire isextended inwardly in a straight line, as at A for a sufficient distance,and is then bent downwardly, as at A", to form-one of the jaws of theclasp. If desired, the wire may terminate at the lower end of said jaw,but in this instance I have shown it returned upwardly, as A to make aloop of the jaw, in order to give it a broader bearing-surface. At A theupward extension A is carried over the opposite jaw and over the branchA and is then returned under both and bent about itself, as at A formingan eye at the upper end of the jaw thus formed, through which theopposite jaw and the straight portion A pass. The branch A is also bentinwardly, as at A and thence downwardly, as at A. Each of the jaws iscurved, as at A, to adapt them to hold cylinindrical articles, whiletheir lower portions are straight in order to adapt them to hold fiatarticles.

In the eye A is pivotally secured alockinglever, B, in this instanceformed of wire, and which may be coiled, as at 13*, to form a spring,though it also may be made of other forms of metal, it having an eye, B,at one end to embrace the eye A and a loop, B at the other end toembrace the branch A whether having a depression, A, or not, the rearwall, B of the loop being suclradistance from the eye 13 that it willforce the jaws firmly against any article placed within them, so as toretain said article firmly within the grasp of the jaws.

I am aware that there have been constructed nippers and other graspingand holding devices which have been provided with a sliding ring orloop, the function of which is to force and hold together the jaws ofsuch devices, which have been constructed to separate by reason ofresiliency in themselves or by reason of springs applied thereto; but inthis instance it will be noticed that the tendency of the spring A is todraw the jaws together or close the same, so that in applying this claspto any article the branches A A are compressed by the hand or the fingerand thumb toward each other, when they are allowed to close by theaction of the spring A, and then, by forcing the lever B downwardly ICOto the position shown in Fig. 2, the jaws are iency out of the arms A Aby securing the made to firmly clasp the article, as he'reinbeforestated. Take, for example, the object X, Fig. 3. which may be a pencil,a clothes-line, arod in a show-window, or a bar in a clothesrack, andthe object Y in Fig. 5,which represents sheet-music upon a music-stand,Z, and it will be seen that by pressing the branches A A toward eachother, or as the lower ends of the jaws are curved outwardly by pressingthe same against the edge of some article, said jaws are opened and thearticle is secured to the rod, bar, cord, or stand. The resiliency ofthe jaws holds the clasp and the article in position while thelocking-lever is being forced downwardly to securely lock the clasp tothe article.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and t the locking-lever, whilepivoted in the eye A, as in the other figures, and while embracing thebranch A, as before stated, is intended to lock by means of the contactof the outer end of the loop B formed therein instead of the innerend-that is to say, instead of acting as a spreader to force the jawstogether, it is intended to perform the same function by pulling thebranches toward each other, the jaw A being recurved, as at A, in orderto adapt it to advance toward the jaw A by means of a pulling action ofthe lever B. In this instance, also, the bends A A are simply made to.cause the branch A to be joined to the branch A of the jaw, which theyform, and does not embrace the branches A A ,'as in the constructionabove described. In this modification the branch A has a slight depression, A, which serves to hold the lever B from accidentaldisplacement from a locked position.

To apply this modification to an article such as a show-card, wire, rod,or rope, the jaws may be separated by hand or by introducing the articleat the extreme points of the jaws, which are curved outwardly tofacilitate the entrance of the article, and when fairly within thejawsthe lever B is-brought down until it springs into the notch or groove A,which firmly locks the clasp in position.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to any particular useof the clasp here in shown, but reserve my right to apply it to any useto which it may be adapted by its construction and manner of operation.

The spring A serves as means for suspending the clasp, and, if desired,an additional suspension ring or hook, C, may be applied to the spring Afor the same purpose.

By forming the locking-lever B as a coil at B*, the tendency to set ortake the resilclasp to articles which are too large to be easilyreceived between the jaws is substantially overcome, as the lever yieldslongitudinally and retains its normal length when strained and removedfrom strain, respectively, in the cases mentioned.

' Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim is l. Aclasp comprisinga body portion made of a single piece of wire, andhaving an eye andjaws, and provided with a locking-lever pivoted in saideye and adapted to embrace an opposite branch of the body portion,substantially as specified.

2. A clasp comprising abody portion which is formed of a single piece ofwire, so as to form a spring, an eye, and jaws, which are brought intocontact by the said spring, and a yield ing locking-lever pivoted insaid eye and adapted to embrace one branch of said body port-ion havinga depression, substantially as specified.

3. Aclasp comprising abody portion formed of a single piece of wire, andhavingaspring, an eye, and jaws, and a locking-lever pivoted in said eyeand constructed to spread the branches of the body portion,substantially as specified.

4. A clasp the main portion of which is formed of a single piece ofwire, having a spring, A, an eye, A and jaws A A in combination with ayielding or spring locking-lever, B, pivoted in the eye A, and adaptedto embrace a branch, A of the clasp, substanstantially as specified.

5. The body portion consisting of a single piece of wire bent to'formthe spring A, the substantiallystra ght branch A, the eye A, thestraight branch A and the jaw A A, the eye A A, and the curved branch Athe jaw A, said jaws being curved, as at A in combination with alocking-lever, B, having the eye B and the loop B substantially as shownand described.

6. In a clasp of the class described, a body portion bent, as at A A, toform one jaw, and bent, as at A A -A, to form the opposite jaw, andbent, as at A A, to form an eye embracing both jaws, to prevent themfrom separating laterally, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' GEORGE A. GOLTON.

WVitnesses:

FREDERICK I. ALLEN, FRANK B. KENNARD.

